AntiVirus 2008?

[Charliec]

I searched the messages here, but did not see an answer to this item.
I had AntiVirus 2008 come up twice saying there were viruses on my
system and offering to install software to remove them. I declined
each time.

Question, how does this item get to your machine to popup this
message? Does it install anything on your system at this point?

I have AVG Free v8 running, but apparently it is not catching it prior
to the popup.

Is there anything else I need to do to be completely safe from this
item, except to decline the install?

Thanks for any tips/suggestions/

Charliec
******************************************************
Charliec

 

[The Real Truth MVP]

Use my Remove-it software, it will remove that malware from your system.
Download it here http://pcbutts1.com/downloads/tools/tools.htm And use Avast
antivirus it detects it before it installs.

 

[FredW]

I searched the messages here, but did not see an answer to this item.
I had AntiVirus 2008 come up twice saying there were viruses on my
system and offering to install software to remove them. I declined
each time.

Question, how does this item get to your machine to popup this
message? Does it install anything on your system at this point?

I have AVG Free v8 running, but apparently it is not catching it prior
to the popup.

Is there anything else I need to do to be completely safe from this
item, except to decline the install?

Your PC is already infected with malware!

Download, install, update and scan with:

- SuperAntiSpyware Free
http://www.superantispyware.com/download.html

- Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php
(free for personal use)

Please read an explanation of Antivirus XP:
http://www.2-viruses.com/remove-antivirus-xp

 

[Duh_OZ]

I searched the messages here, but did not see an answer to this item.
I had AntiVirus 2008 come up twice saying there were viruses on my
system and offering to install software to remove them.  I declined
each time.

Question, how does this item get to your machine to popup this
message?  Does it install anything on your system at this point?

I have AVG Free v8 running, but apparently it is not catching it prior
to the popup.

Is there anything else I need to do to be completely safe from this
item, except to decline the install?

Thanks for any tips/suggestions/

Charliec
******************************************************
Charliec

==================
Was the Antivirus 2008 just some pop-up window, IE you do NOT have it
installed, correct?

I would go with a hosts file and a pop-up blocker to help stop the
phony antivirus, etc pop-ups.

You should also scan (in safe mode) with adaware and spybot to clean
up anything that may not be wanted on the system.

 

[Charliec]

==================
Was the Antivirus 2008 just some pop-up window, IE you do NOT have it
installed, correct?

I would go with a hosts file and a pop-up blocker to help stop the
phony antivirus, etc pop-ups.

You should also scan (in safe mode) with adaware and spybot to clean
up anything that may not be wanted on the system.

Thanks all for you answers. I have Spybot, Spy Sweeper and Adaware
and run them periodically (non are running real time - I just do the
scans about once a week - but have not run them since the popup).

Why do you run them in safe mode - is there an advantage to that - I
have always run them in regular mode - but will give safe mode a try.

******************************************************
Charliec

 

[Ernie B.]

Why do you run them in safe mode - is there an advantage to that - I
have always run them in regular mode - but will give safe mode a try.

Safe Mode loads only the very basic programs on Windows start up.

A better option imo is to use a boot-time scan which runs before any Windows
programs are loaded. I don't know if AVG offers this option; I use Avast,
which does.

 

[Charliec]

==================
Was the Antivirus 2008 just some pop-up window, IE you do NOT have it
installed, correct?

I would go with a hosts file and a pop-up blocker to help stop the
phony antivirus, etc pop-ups.

You should also scan (in safe mode) with adaware and spybot to clean
up anything that may not be wanted on the system.

Ok, I ran Spybot and Spy Sweeper in safe mode. Spybot found 3
tracking cookies, Spy Sweeper found 5 tracking cookies (no indication
of Antivirus 2008.

I tried running Adaware in safe mode, but got an error. Rebooted to
regular mode and it ran ok. Found 44 tracking cookies. No indication
of Antivirus 2008.

How do I tell if Antivirus 2008 is installed?

Charliec
******************************************************
Charliec

 

[Charliec]

Safe Mode loads only the very basic programs on Windows start up.

A better option imo is to use a boot-time scan which runs before any Windows
programs are loaded. I don't know if AVG offers this option; I use Avast,
which does.

Does Avast catch the Antivirus 2008 malware?
******************************************************
Charliec

 

[The Real Truth MVP]

Yes it does.

 

[Rube Bumpkin]

Ok, I ran Spybot and Spy Sweeper in safe mode. Spybot found 3
tracking cookies, Spy Sweeper found 5 tracking cookies (no indication
of Antivirus 2008.

I tried running Adaware in safe mode, but got an error. Rebooted to
regular mode and it ran ok. Found 44 tracking cookies. No indication
of Antivirus 2008.

How do I tell if Antivirus 2008 is installed?

Charliec
******************************************************
Charliec

Charliec,

Go back and read the message from FredW (excerpted here):
-------------------------------------------------------
Your PC is already infected with malware!

Download, install, update and scan with:

- SuperAntiSpyware Free
http://www.superantispyware.com/download.html

- Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php
(free for personal use)

Please read an explanation of Antivirus XP:
http://www.2-viruses.com/remove-antivirus-xp
-------------------------------------------------------

If you can't get to either of these sites, you are definitely infected
with AV2008 and some trojans, so use another PC to download the above
two programs, copy them to a USB memory stick, then install and run them
on the infected system.

If, when MBAM and SAS run, they can't get updates, that's another clue
that you are infected. Run without updates, reboot, and run them again.

A friend's system got this. Someone else tried other tools (I was out of
town), and almost killed the PC. I ran SAS and MBAM and cleared it right
up. By the time I got there, about 12 trojans were running.

RB

 

[Gaz]

Yes it does.

Really? I havent come across any antivirus that can catch AV2008
installations, or, once infected carry out the necessary complete
immunisation.

Gaz

 

[Charliec]

Yes it does.

What email programs does it do scanning for? I have AVG and it only
scans Outlook email by default and it is very difficult to set-up to
scan other email carriers (I use Forte Agent as my email client, and
have used it for about 10 years).

Thanks
******************************************************
Charliec

 

[Charliec]

Ok, I ran Spybot and Spy Sweeper in safe mode. Spybot found 3
tracking cookies, Spy Sweeper found 5 tracking cookies (no indication
of Antivirus 2008.

I tried running Adaware in safe mode, but got an error. Rebooted to
regular mode and it ran ok. Found 44 tracking cookies. No indication
of Antivirus 2008.


Charliec,

Go back and read the message from FredW (excerpted here):
-------------------------------------------------------
Your PC is already infected with malware!

Download, install, update and scan with:

- SuperAntiSpyware Free
http://www.superantispyware.com/download.html

- Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php
(free for personal use)

Please read an explanation of Antivirus XP:
http://www.2-viruses.com/remove-antivirus-xp
-------------------------------------------------------

If you can't get to either of these sites, you are definitely infected
with AV2008 and some trojans, so use another PC to download the above
two programs, copy them to a USB memory stick, then install and run them
on the infected system.

If, when MBAM and SAS run, they can't get updates, that's another clue
that you are infected. Run without updates, reboot, and run them again.

A friend's system got this. Someone else tried other tools (I was out of
town), and almost killed the PC. I ran SAS and MBAM and cleared it right
up. By the time I got there, about 12 trojans were running.

RB

I tried all 3 of your links and they all came up without a problem.
So, does that mean I am probably not infected?
******************************************************
Charliec

 

[Rube Bumpkin]

I tried all 3 of your links and they all came up without a problem.
So, does that mean I am probably not infected?
******************************************************
Charliec

Did you download, install and run the programs?

There are many ways that AV2008 can manifest itself. I was just pointing
out some of those ways, including the fact that there are ways around
the things it does.

Download, Install, and Run both SAS and MBAM. If you had done that 6+
hours ago when FredW posted his advice, you would know for sure, you
would be clean by now, and we wouldn't be having this conversation.

RB

 

[Charliec]

Did you download, install and run the programs?

There are many ways that AV2008 can manifest itself. I was just pointing
out some of those ways, including the fact that there are ways around
the things it does.

Download, Install, and Run both SAS and MBAM. If you had done that 6+
hours ago when FredW posted his advice, you would know for sure, you
would be clean by now, and we wouldn't be having this conversation.

RB

RB,
I downloaded and ran MBAM and it came up with "No Infections" in all
of the areas. So, after running all the "Malware Removal" program, I
have to assume that I have not been infected? So, I get the
conversation is over! Thanks for the advice!
******************************************************
Charliec

 

[Ernie B.]

What email programs does it do scanning for? I have AVG and it only
scans Outlook email by default and it is very difficult to set-up to
scan other email carriers (I use Forte Agent as my email client, and
have used it for about 10 years).

The Avast On-Access scanner can be set up to scan all inbound POP, IMAP, NNTP,
etc. messages. See <http://www.avast.com/> and navigate to Support > FAQs.
there is also a forum, <http://forum.avast.com/>, which is very helpful.

 

[The Real Truth MVP]

Yes it does, I test it all the time when doing my Remove-it updates. AVG
does not and MBAM and SAS paid version with real-time protection does not
even catch it. MBAM will clean it but it does not repair the damage done
after cleaning like fixing the desktop tabs etc.... Remove-it fixes all
that. MBAM real-time protection is also a resources hog on Vista which
causes delays when opening or right clicking files. I do not recommend it
for the paid version.

 

[The Real Truth MVP]

All of them.

 

[FredW]

Go back and read the message from FredW (excerpted here):
-------------------------------------------------------
Your PC is already infected with malware!

Download, install, update and scan with:

- SuperAntiSpyware Free
http://www.superantispyware.com/download.html

- Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php
(free for personal use)

Please read an explanation of Antivirus XP:
http://www.2-viruses.com/remove-antivirus-xp
-------------------------------------------------------

If you can't get to either of these sites, you are definitely infected
with AV2008 and some trojans, so use another PC to download the above
two programs, copy them to a USB memory stick, then install and run them
on the infected system.

If, when MBAM and SAS run, they can't get updates, that's another clue
that you are infected. Run without updates, reboot, and run them again.

FYI
Updates (for the USB stick) can be downloaded here:

- SAS
http://www.superantispyware.com/definitions.html
- MBAM
http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php
(scroll to the bottom for "Latest Database".)

 

[Dustin Cook]

I searched the messages here, but did not see an answer to this item.
I had AntiVirus 2008 come up twice saying there were viruses on my
system and offering to install software to remove them. I declined
each time.

Question, how does this item get to your machine to popup this
message? Does it install anything on your system at this point?

It's a rogue application. We have very high success rates removing it. You
may wish to give MalwareBytes antimalware a try.

http://www.malwarebytes.org

Is there anything else I need to do to be completely safe from this
item, except to decline the install?

Update your java, and adobe.